The Outsiders By S. E. Hinton: An Analysis

The novel ‘The Outsiders’ by S.E. Hinton is an enthralling story about the hardships and triumphs experienced by two socially different rival gangs, the Greasers and the Socs. The novel’s title advocates the main storyline, the Greasers, a gang of social outcasts and misfits. A theme of “The Outsiders” is people - despite their social and financial differences - striving for the same things, enjoying the same things, sharing many similarities and not having to be enemies. Hinton expresses the connection of characters from the rival gangs through the use of literary devices as well as a detailed story line. While associating only with people of one’s own social and financial background can be balancing and allow some to be more open, social …show more content…
After Bob’s death, his best friend, Randy has a conversation (rather than a fight) with Ponyboy. They discover they don’t hate each other, as they have believed, and they have more in common than they thought. Randy reveals he won’t go to the rumble. After the conversation between both boys, they see each other as people rather than Greasers or Socs. Randy explains that the fighting among classes is pointless. In chapter seven, Randy explains, “You can't win, even if you whip us. You'll still be where you were before - at the bottom. And we'll still be the lucky ones with all the breaks. So it doesn't do any good, the fighting and the killing.” The use of alliteration and assonance emphasizes the strong thoughts Randy feels about the fight between the classes. The alliteration in, “You can’t win, even if you whip us. You’ll still be where you were before-at the bottom.” The repeated letter being ‘w’ enhances the word win. The importance of the word ‘win’ is dominant because there really is no winning between the classes; as Randy said even if the Greasers win, the Socs will always be on top, and the Greasers at the bottom. The word ‘win’ does not mean anything to Randy as he believes there can’t be a winner, and that the Socs are always the winners. Ponyboy and Randy agree that the fighting and killing serve no purpose, and the battle between the Greasers and the Socs is long lasting, yet has no true meaning or outcome. …show more content…
Had circumstances been different, Darry could’ve been a Soc. Smart and athletic, he once earned an athletic scholarship which would’ve enabled him to enhance his education. However, when his parents were killed in an accident, Darry decided to give it all up in order to raise his brothers, as a family. He became a Greaser. Paul Holden had been on Darry’s high school football team, and had been to college. Darry and Paul used to be very close, but after Darry left school, Paul dismissed him due to being poor. They had an encountering during the rumble between the Socs and Greasers, as both these men are started the fight. During this encounter Darry and Paul fight each other importuning the fight as if the Greasers win, it symbolizes whether Darry is better than Paul or vice versa. The intensity of this fight is presented through literary techniques including personification and ellipsis. In chapter nine, Hinton writes, “The silence grew heavier, and I could hear the harsh heavy breathing of the boys around me…” The personification in “The silence grew heavier” creates a nervous, tense atmosphere, which emphasizes the importance of the rumble. When silence ‘grows’ heavier, it means the atmosphere becomes uncomfortable and quiet, highlighting the pressure on Darry and Paul,